Unveiling Major League Cricket: Cricket's Rise in the United States!
Cricket, a sport loved by millions worldwide, has captivated fans' hearts with its rich heritage and timeless exciting competitive moments on the field. While its popularity has long been established in countries like India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, and England, a new chapter is unfolding in the United States with the advent of Major League Cricket (MLC), a franchise T20 league.
In this blog post, we explore an exciting journey to uncover the essence of Major League Cricket and share the details of this developing T20 cricket league that started in the USA. From its origin and format to the participating teams and star players in detail, we will explore the key elements of this league that make the MLC an interesting addition to the world cricket landscape. so get ready to discover how Major League Cricket (MLC) is revolutionizing the sport in America, providing a platform for budding talents, and captivating fans with its thrilling encounters. So, let's step onto the cricketing field and uncover the captivating world of Major League Cricket!
What is Major League Cricket?
Major League Cricket or MLC is a professional franchise T20 Cricket league started in the United States. However, the United Arab Emirates launched such a franchise T20 league earlier this year outside the ICC's full member nations. The United States is the second country to launch a similar tournament in 20-over Cricket. As these two countries are not full members of the ICC, these two tournaments do not have the status of official ICC (International Cricket Council) sponsored Twenty20 leagues.
When does Major League Cricket (MLC) start?
Major League Cricket or MLC began to play on July 13, 2023, with six teams representing major U.S. cities. MLC is operated by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) and sanctioned by USA Cricket; the inaugural season is taking place over three weeks at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, and Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, USA. On the other hand, the inaugural season of this T20 league will conclude on July 30, 2023.
How many teams are playing in Major League Cricket (MLC)?
In the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC), six teams representing major cities in the United States are playing and these teams are, Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom. Below are the names of these six teams and their captains:
- Los Angeles Knight Riders: Sunil Narine (West Indies)
- MI New York: Kieron Pollard (West Indies)
- San Francisco Unicorns: Aaron Finch (Australia)
- Seattle Orcas: Wayne Parnel (South Africa)
- Texas Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
- Washington Freedom: Moises Henriques (Australia)
How much cricket will spread in the United States?
MLC teams are named after various cities in the United States but play at minor cricket venues in Grand Pierre, Texas, and North Carolina. Meanwhile, MLC Tournament Director Justin Zail said about the plan to increase the venue of the game in the future, "To increase the local audience, the game needs to be played at the local level." Playing games in two venues is not ideal, but we plan to host 30 matches next season. San Francisco will then join. He also said, hopefully, within 3 to 5 years, we would get some good quality stadiums with 10 to 20 thousand spectators. This is our goal.
Who is playing in the Major League Cricket (MLC)?
MLC(Major League Cricket) has attracted several world-famous cricketers from the world of cricket in its inaugural edition. England's Jason Roy has withdrawn from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) contract to play in the tournament. On the other hand, another English cricketer Liam Plunkett is already staying in the United States. Apart from this, South Africa's Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, Pakistan's Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Haris Rauf, West Indies' Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, New Zealand's Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Lockie Ferguson and Australian players like Aaron Finch, Adam Zampa, Tim David and Marcus Stoinis. Meanwhile, it is heard that Australia's Steven Smith and England's Moeen Ali can play in the next season.
Why are star cricketers going to Major League Cricket?
Despite the lack of T20 status, why are the current cricketers joining the MLC? In short, MLC's ownership has an Indian connection. Among them are influential figures such as The Times Group, one of India's largest business conglomerates, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In the MLC franchises, four of the six teams are teams owned by IPL franchises, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals. On the other hand, the other two are franchises owned by the Australian State Cricket Association Cricket New South Wales, and Cricket Victoria. Meanwhile, each team is allowed to spend $1.15 million on players and each squad will consist of 15 to 18 players.
Is MLC is a Mini IPL?
The presence of IPL franchises in four of the six teams in Major League Cricket shows the impact of the IPL. MLC tournament director Justin Zail also said the same thing, "The presence of IPL teams has given confidence to the players and the coaching staff." However, the organizers do not want MLC to be a mini version of IPL. As Jayel said, 'India is the center of the cricket world commercially. But we don't want to make MLC a mini IPL. We want to build a brand of our own. MLC should become as much of an American product as possible. For this, the MLC Director will reach out to local communities and schools. Matches are scheduled in the evening to attract local spectators to watch the games. For the time being, television viewers outside the country are not prioritized.
Will MLC (Major League Cricket) survive?
Undoubtedly, MLC has a strong financial backup. But how popular MLC will become, it is difficult to say now. Zael (MLC tournament director), however, is optimistic, 'I don't like the word "potential" because it's used a lot in the US. I think there is a big market for cricket here (USA). He also said, if you want to spread cricket, where do you go? If not China or Russia, it must be the United States. On the other hand, Pakistan-born US pacer Ali Khan is also confident about MLC, "I think MLC will be the second biggest league in the world after IPL. Explaining why he thinks so, Ali's answer is, "Because the market is here, the sponsors are here, the money is here. It's a big country, with many opportunities, and it is a country (USA) that has changed life for us. Therefore, it can be said that if MLC succeeds in the United States, cricket will also change, and cricket will become more popular worldwide.
As we conclude our exploration into the world of Major League Cricket, it's clear that this growing T20 league is ready to reshape the landscape of cricket in the United States. With its unique blend of talent, passion, and international experience, MLC has paved the way for cricket enthusiasts to embrace the sport on American soil like never before. From the electrifying matches to the dedicated fanbase, Major League Cricket (MLC) has set its sights on a bright future, not only in the USA but also globally. As the league continues will evolve, we can anticipate even more thrilling encounters, rising stars, and a flourishing cricketing community that will add a new chapter to the global cricketing narrative. So, gear up to witness the boundless potential of Major League Cricket (MLC),
Published by
Mostafa Masud
For SportsOwls
sportsowls@gmail.com
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